1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary aspects of the present invention relate to a fixing device and a method of installing the same, and more particularly, to a fixing device that fixes a toner image in place on a recording medium with heat and pressure, and a method of installing such a fixing device in an image forming apparatus, such as a photocopier, facsimile machine, printer, plotter, or multifunctional machine incorporating several of those imaging functions.
2. Description of the Background Art
In electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, such as photocopiers, facsimile machines, printers, plotters, or multifunctional machines incorporating several of those imaging functions, an image is formed by attracting toner particles onto a photoconductive surface for subsequent transfer to a recording medium such as a sheet of paper. After transfer, the imaging process is often followed by a fixing process using a fixing device, which permanently fixes the toner image in place on the recording medium by melting and settling the toner with heat and pressure.
A fixing device may involve various pieces of mechanical equipment, such as a motor-driven rotary belt and roller assembly with heat and pressure sources provided therein, some of which require regular replacement, and others may need occasional repair or adjustment for correcting paper jams and other operational failures. To facilitate maintenance of such components, a fixing device could employ a unitized, integral enclosure in which the entire assembly is integrated into a single integrated unit for installation in an image forming apparatus incorporating the fixing capability.